Written by: Seth Beacher 09/09/2013 3:37 PM
The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of America's oldest and most beautiful scenic drives spanning over 469 miles on America's East Coast. The drive traverses North Carolina and Virginia, beginning at Waynesboro, VA inside Shenandoah National Park, and extending all the way down to the Cherokee Reservation near the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina. The drive itself is littered with stunning outdoor scenery and wildlife and sights such as an eagle soaring high above water cascading down a 90 foot waterfall is not an uncommon one. One of the nations few National Scenic Byway's, work on the Blue Ridge Parkway initially began as a part of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal movement in 1935. The park took years to finish, work finally being completed in 1983. Now having recently celebrated its 75th anniversary, the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most popular road trip destinations in all of America.
When to Go
The Blue Ridge Parkway is open all year, but at it loveliest in Spring and Fall. Some sections may be closed in winter due to ice and snow.
How to Get There
The entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway is at the Rockfish Gap near Waynesboro, Virginia. The byway ends at the Cherokee Reserve next to the Great Smoky Mountains.
How Long Should the Trip Be?
We would recommend that you spend four days driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway, to truly absorb all of its magnificence. If you don't have fours day then pick and choose from the itinerary below. The route is set out from North to South, but just follow everything in reverse if you want to do it from South to North.
What to See and Do
4 Day Visit - Waynesboro (VA) to Cherokee (NC) - 469 Miles
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
If you plan to stay the night in the area there are lots of campgrounds and RV Parks nearby.
Park Map
Campgrounds
Insider Tips
No gasoline is available on the parkway. Gas is available not far off the Parkway at any of these US or State Highway Intersections:
Virginia
North Carolina
For more information on the Blue Ridge Parkway check out http://www.nps.gov/blri and http://www.blueridgeparkway.org.
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On your trip along the Blue Ridge Parkway I would suggest camping at Mt Pisgah Campground at MM 408.6 which is right on the Parkway.